what's in a name?
by origami fish
Summary: as a celestial mage, her daughter should be named after the moon, but levy knows that's not the only reason (and what if it's a boy? natsu has one in mind). — natsu/lucy


it's been a while so i thought i'd post something even though i should really be working on my paper that's due very soon.

this is kind of a good-bye fic, in that this may very be my last story in the _Fairy Tail_ section. i'm sorry (if anyone cares, that is). it's because i don't really read natsu/lucy stories or even _Fairy Tail_ stories in general anymore so my writing muse has sort of dropped. maybe i'll return one day. i don't know. if you're curious where i'm going, you'll find me in the _Yu-gi-oh_ section writing puzzleshipping. that's where i was previously under name(s) other than _origami fish._ i don't expect you to follow me there, because maybe you've never read the manga or seen the anime or that shipping's not your cup of tea, and that's why i'm posting a note of farewell.

(and no, that one-shot collection i mentioned in **lucid** won't be posted; i only had one story to begin with so how would one story be a collection?)

i hope you enjoy the story. it's less funny at the beginning and more so at the end.

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 **wh** _ **a**_ **t's** _ **i**_ **n** _ **a**_ **n** _ **a**_ **m** _ **e**_ **?**

.

.

It makes perfect sense.

She's a stellar spirit mage – and even if she wasn't, she loves the stars. She has loved the stars ever since she was a little girl, when she didn't know of magic, when she was afraid of the world beyond the beautiful metal rose gates, when she didn't know any better. She was afraid of many things as a child – spiders, ghosts, thunder storms, sunburns, sandwiches that had peanut butter without jelly – but never the stars.

They are a part of her as much as fire is a part of Natsu.

It is very much a piece of her, what made her . . . well, _her._

She rests a gentle hand on her belly.

That's why her child, so close to her, a breath of life within her, should have a piece of her when the eight or nine months have passed and he or she parted with her to enter this world. That's why her child's name should be made of stardust and encompass all the constellations and galaxies in the night sky.

It's too early to show, the doctor said, but she can't help but feel a certain warmth beneath her finger tips that make her bubbly and happy all over.

It's like the time when she was four and planted a sunflower seed in the garden and watched it grow all summer but not.

It's strange and wonderful and _oh god,_ she's going to be a _parent_ to this child and so is Natsu – they're in it together, like always, _(how it should be),_ and she's excited but mostly worried because what if she isn't ready? Isn't good enough? And who knows what the hell Natsu will teach their baby. She'll be damned before her child talks with their mouth full like a certain male with salmon-coloured hair she'd rather not mention.

If the child is a girl,

" _Then you'll be Luna_ ," she whispered to herself and the baby. "After the moon, of course. How does that sound?"

"That's a great name, Lu-chan."

Lucy looks up, startled, and sees her best friend take a seat across from her. The girl props her elbows up on the surface of the table and leans forward, a smirk on her lightly freckled face.

"But are you sure the moon's the only reason you're naming her Luna?" She grins, eyes wide, mischievous and shining like the sun. Lucy feels a blush creep up onto her cheeks and forces it down.

Damn that bookworm.

If there's anybody in Fairy Tail – heck, in all of Earthland – who can figure it out, it's that quiet, wild, too-smart-for-her-own-good best friend that she loves to death.

Lucy huffs, waving a hand, trying to play it off nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Levy doesn't believe her for a second, but it's a valiant try.

"Hm, should I say it then?" She teases, "Since you refuse to."

"Don't force yourself," Lucy says sarcastically.

" **Lu** -cy and **Na** -tsu," Levi says, putting an emphasis on the _lu_ and _na_ in their names, "to make Luna, the beautiful moon girl."

Right on target as always. Of course, she expects nothing less of Levy. She doesn't feel as mortified as she had thought she would feel, now that the secret behind the name is put so plainly in words, but she supposes it's because it's only Levy. At least Natsu doesn't know.

Natsu saunters over right at that moment and – bless her lucky stars – has only heard 'Luna, the beautiful moon girl.' He agrees to the name, saying that it is perfect for a daughter of a super awesome dragon slayer. Lucy rolls her eyes at the backhanded compliment to himself. But he wonders –

"Did you think of a boy's name yet?"

"Not yet, but –"

"Great! Cause I was suddenly inspired from the name you came up with!"

"Oh?" What kind of handsome name did –

"Tuna!"

". . . Tuna?" Did she hear it right?

"Yeah, Tuna Dragneel!" It sounded like a label on canned food. It's a good name, if that's the sort of name you're looking for . . . Lucy is not looking for that kind of name. Natsu continues, either ignoring or not noticing her stare. She suspects it's the latter. "Luce, it's perfect you see –" He starts ticking off all the pros with his fingers. She decides it's time to set the record straight. She doesn't want Natsu getting too attached to the name.

"No."

"It rhymes with Luna."

"No."

"So they can be Tuna n' Luna."

"No."

"Well, I guess Luna n' Tuna's fine too, if you want."

"That's not what I meant." She lets out an exasperated breath, hand over her face. Levy giggles in the background.

Natsu rambles on, excitedly, like a boy on Christmas day. "And, I know how much you love playing with words . . . so it's extra perfect! Tuna is Natsu rearranged without the _s_. I'm sure we can put the _s_ in his middle name or something, along with your name. Slucy? Ohhh! What about Slushy?! Tuna Slushy! That name's so cool! Man, I'm getting jealous of my own son's name."

She's not sure how to respond to naming her future son 'Tuna Slushy.' There's a lot she can say, a lot of ways she can react, but the first thought that pops in her mind is: ". . . I'm not naming my child after a cat."

"What are you talking about? We're not naming the baby Happy."

He sticks a foot on the chair beside her, straightens his back, like he has just conquered the world.

"Tuna," he says proudly, "the boy with tuna-coloured hair, son of the amazing salmon-coloured –"

"No, no, no, no, no." She hugs herself, as if protecting her unborn child from the hideous name. "Don't worry," she says to unborn child, "I'll think of a better name for you."

Natsu places a gentle hand on top of her stomach and if it weren't for the soft look in his eyes, she would've smacked his hand away no doubt for thinking up such a ridiculous name. It's hard to resist the urge when he says, "Tuna-Luna, you're gonna be making legends."

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It's a girl. To avoid the 'Tuna n' Luna' nonsense should they have a boy in the future, they name the child Nashi, with some – lots – of persuasion on Lucy's part.

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( _"You're so sneaky Lucy!_ _ **Na**_ _-tsu and Lu-_ _ **shi**_ _. We all know Natsu and Happy calls you Lushi from time to time."_

" _Levy . . ."_

" _Yes?"_

" _Shut up."_ )

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i know in _moon strut_ 's **cookie cutter dreams** , there is a mention of Luna being from NaLu reversed, but honestly, i came up with it myself before i read that fic, and i thought i'd just put that out there!

much love if you leave your thoughts in the little box below, but either way, thank you for reading.

- _origami fish_


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